spiritual food for thought

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cold

Because I live in Colorado, swimming in lakes & reservoirs can be an arctic experience. I’m not a polar bear & an igloo is not my residential preference.Nonetheless, last Summer I tried two open water swims & despite being a relatively proficient swimmer, I thought I was going to freeze & drown, until I tried a wetsuit. Then everything changed.

The wetsuit insulated my skin & internal organs from the chilly water, it made me more buoyant & I could actually swim without hyperventilating

Maybe walking w Holy Spirit is kind of like wearing a daily wetsuit that helps us navigate daily living without getting frozen in impossibilities or drowning in fear. Indeed, walking with Holy Spirit everyday helps us to do what is impossible in our natural abilities. Walking with Holy Spirit is comforting & encouraging. And walking with Holy Spirit keeps us moving forward w God’s divine purpose & design in our individual lives!

I just finished some really fun snowboarding & although it was cold & windy with some icy patches, the speed was glorious. So there’s some trade off to get the adrenaline rush that comes from going super fast, safely of course.

In contrast, however, our relationship with Jesus can seem to have trade off points, but in reality we always win. So let me encourage you over this weekend to do some trade offs with Jesus:

Shimmering trees, speckled sunlight, icy roads and chilly air invite me to think and reflect deeply about God’s love in diverse display. In Colorado today, cars are slipping off the icy roads and people are bundled in coats, scarves and boots, with their preferred warm beverage cupped tenderly in their hands. It’s these kinds of days that God gives to me and we sharpen the saw.

This means that when the outside is cold and uninviting, it’s nice to stay inside and look for the cozy nooks and spaces to pause, listen and let God plumb my soul for greater connection and togetherness. And this is what I’m designed for: being close and snuggly with God. This is where I’m most settled and content, where I mature and deepen my roots, sharpen the saw.

Maybe this is what Job speaks about in Job 20:20, “Because he knew no quiet within him, He does not retain anything he desires.” These are the kinds of days when God grows the quiet in my soul and it’s deeply satisfying and richly rewarding 🙂

I woke up this morning to -7degree temperature. Thankfully our heater works well but my body definitely felt the chill, which compelled me to keep my heart warm. Sometimes it’s easy in the hustle & bustle of this season to get cold hearted, detached & insensitive. Regardless of the external temperature or the demands that we have, let’s endeavor to remain warm hearted.
As for our brains, part of my Bible reading this morning was in Colossians 3:2 where Paul tells us to set our minds above. To me, this means that i keep my thoughts out of the low things & stuff that’s fleshy.
I want to actively chose to set my mind in things above & keep my heart warm regardless of what’s happening around me. Who’s on board with that plan??

I have a friend & our feet are always cold, so we give each other wool socks. In Denver today, it’s cold so we are both celebrating our warm feet because of the gracious gift of wool socks! I have another friend who wears flip flops in Denver even when it snows, almost. This friend doesn’t have a cold feet problem but maybe has the opposite end of the spectrum. I totally love both of these peeps & I love that they see and experience life through different lenses, each vibrantly beautiful & wholesome.

This makes me appreciate our Heavenly Father all the more for His immense and unique love for each one of us. We don’t have to match up to a marketing profile to be loved by God. Indeed, it seems to me that we are most thoroughly loved by our Heavenly Father as we revel in His unique design for us individually. Based on Romans 5:5, you are fully loved by your Heavenly Father, full stop. The Holy Spirit can help you live in this reality day by day 🙂